Shloka 52

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

स चापि भगवान् कण्डुः क्षीणे तपसि सत्तमाः पुरुषोत्तमाख्यम् अद्रीशं विष्णोर् आयतनं ययौ

Transliteration

sa cāpi bhagavān kaṇḍuḥ kṣīṇe tapasi sattamāḥ puruṣottamākhyam adrīśaṃ viṣṇor āyatanaṃ yayau

Translation

And that venerable sage Kaṇḍu—foremost among the virtuous—when his austerities had run their course, departed to the mountain-lord called Puruṣottama, the sacred abode of Lord Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: also/even)

• भगवान्: venerable; blessed
• भगवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कण्डुः: Kaṇḍu
• कण्डुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्डु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षीणे: when (it was) exhausted
• क्षीणे: Adhikarana (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘क्षीणे’ = ‘क्षीण-’ (when exhausted)

• तपसि: in austerity; in penance
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सत्तमाः: O best ones; excellent (sages)
• सत्तमाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (सम्बोधनार्थे/स्तुत्यर्थे)

• पुरुषोत्तमाख्यम्: named ‘Puruṣottama’
• पुरुषोत्तमाख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुषोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (नामधारक/‘called’): ‘पुरुषोत्तम-आख्य’ = ‘named Puruṣottama’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अद्रीशम्: the lord of the mountain (a mountain)
• अद्रीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): ‘अद्रेः ईशः’ = lord of the mountain; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आयतनम्: abode; sanctuary
• आयतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of Kaṇḍu’s completed austerities and his departure to Viṣṇu’s sacred abode

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When tapas reaches fruition, it culminates in turning toward Viṣṇu’s own abode and exclusive refuge in Him.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Let disciplined practice (study, restraint, japa) mature into pilgrimage of the heart—regularly orienting life toward Viṣṇu as the final goal rather than toward mere attainments.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu is approached as the personal supreme goal (puruṣārtha) accessible through devoted surrender, not as an impersonal abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kandu
• Vishnu
• Puruṣottama (sacred mountain/kshetra)

FAQs

What is the significance of Puruṣottama in the Vishnu Purana?

Here it is presented as a revered sacred abode of Viṣṇu—an ultimate destination for accomplished sages after the fruition of their austerities.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the outcome of tapas in this episode?

Tapas is shown as having a completion or fruition (kṣīṇe tapasi), after which the sage turns toward Viṣṇu’s āyatana—indicating that ascetic power culminates in devotion and divine refuge.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Viṣṇu is implied as the supreme sanctuary (āyatana) and final resting-place of spiritual striving—Puruṣottama, the Supreme Reality approached when merit and discipline mature.